A previous thread about cavs followint their person around the house got me thinking.
\my cav is very velcro and prefers to be on my lap as much as possible. However, while there he growls at persons approaching me--he doesn't want them there. This happens whether I see them or not.
When in public areas, as well as at training class he ignores other dogs--he doesn't play.
I got him when he was a year old, in poor condition and it took 3 months before his tail came out from between his legs. As he gained confidence out came the aggressioin that has been difficult to stop.
I've had other velcro dogs, different breeds, that weren't aggressive so I'm at a loss to understand why. He's also been diagnosed with SM.
Sandra

Alana

12th April 2012, 02:06 PM

How long have you had him now?

rubles

12th April 2012, 10:48 PM

Hello Bern
I used the wrong term, I should have said POSSESSIVENESS. He doesn,t want anyone near me when he's on my lap.
I've had him for five years.

ashleighelizabeth

12th April 2012, 10:59 PM

Hi! It sounds like he is resource guarding and you are the resource! We experienced resource guarding with my puppy Sonny a couple of months ago; however he was guarding the couch. He would start to growl and grumble whenever someone would try to move him. I bought the book Mine, by Jean Donaldson and had great luck with the techniques she teaches. She talks about all different types of resource guarding including when dogs guard people. After using some of her tips I would say our problem has almost completely disappeared. Here is a link to her book. :)

I think it was my thread i posted. I must say my Alfie growls if anyone tries to pick him up from my lap or from beside my feet. He has never biten and i dont think he would. He is a lot of gob! I think for Alfie its buying him as an older pup. Lack of socialising too. I prob have spoilt him a little bit. The day i got him he never left my side and was diagnosed with seperation anxiety and got given medication for it. Alf could not be left alone whatso ever. I ditched the medication and bought a female springer spaniel. Borrowed my mums dog until my springer was ready to be picked up. Never had this problem since! I would suggest buying another dog. As you have a male, i would buy a bigger female dog. It worked a treat for us! Sounds like your little dog has missed some social time too when he was younger. The SM is so sad. I have also lost a dog to SM. x

Soushiruiuma

13th April 2012, 03:45 AM

Do not get a second dog to solve a behavioural problem in your first dog.

It sounds like he's still very fearful of people, even after having spent years in a loving home.

Can you arrange to have people approach (in a friendly manner), talk to him, and then give him a treat while petting?

I worry about the opposite with Thistle, she loves everyone, and would happily go home with a stranger.

JessieAndMe

13th April 2012, 04:04 AM

I worry about the opposite with Thistle, she loves everyone, and would happily go home with a stranger.
Jessie is the same, he thinks everyone is his friend, but is a little more weary as he gets older.

Are you his main carer? I've never had to deal with anything similar on that sort of scale, but at our house, I'm our little guy's main
carer and my partner works long hours and Jessie formed such a strong bond with me as a little guy. As he's a fairly greedy boy,
my other half started giving Jessie his good boy treats, getting down on the floor with him and being silly and playing while I was outside
in the garden, or generally just making myself scarce. A few hours over a few days and they bonded, so much so that when my partner
now gets home from work, Jessie gets the first cuddle. Jessie wasn't possessive though.

Could it be as simple as bonding with other family members?

NurseSophie89

13th April 2012, 04:27 AM

I worry about the opposite with Thistle, she loves everyone, and would happily go home with a stranger.

Lola is exactly the same, she is very much a 'people person' rather than a 'dog person' and much prefers the company of people to other dogs. So overly friendly I worry someone will kidnap her from the garden, and off she'll go, smooching them to death!!

Mindysmom

13th April 2012, 12:46 PM

Both of my dogs resource guarded my lap from our houseguest who is a very large dog we were babysitting for a couple of days. In addition Rylie used to try and guard my lap from Max. I would just get up so neither of them were on it and that seemed to work. They do have a bit of a process they go through to both sit on my lap though. If Rylie is there first it seems Max has to lure him away by barking at the door or something. Then he scoots down and hops on and Rylie follows. If Max is there first Rylie will lick his face until he gets annoyed and moves over.

Max has had some resource guarding of the bed and socks. I have had a lot of success with Jean Donaldson's book also. As far as guarding while on the bed I realized that we needed to change our rules so that he got on the bed only with permission.